“Treading water.”
That's how Franklin County Schools chief finance officer Carla Knight describes the system's Fiscal Year 2017-18 budget.
While that description might not sound great, it beats last year's theme of “growing pains.”
With public schools funded based on the enrollment 20 days after Labor Day of the previous academic year, last year saw Franklin County Schools with unprecedented growth and no corresponding increase in state funding for those new students.
That changed this year, at least partially, and that's reflected in the $36 million budget, compared to $34 million last year. But the system continues to see more students each year. Projected enrollment for this year is 3,621 students, an increase of 121 from last year. Last year's increase was 222 students, many of whom transferred from Russellville City Schools after that system imposed a $600 annual tuition for out-of-city residents.
“When you tread water, you have to keep on and on or you sink,” Knight said. “This year, we're trying to stay right above zero in our budget. We have just enough to operate on, although we have seen growth again this year.”
Of the $36,093,719, almost $24 million comes from state revenues. An additional $4,572,922 comes from federal revenue sources; $7,424,252 from local revenue; and $170,000 from other revenues.
A breakdown of the $36,197,660 in expenses includes $18,836,463 in instructional services; $4,493,213 in instructional support services; $2,936,604 in operations & maintenance; $5,155,618 in auxiliary services; $1,282,234 in general administrative services; $6,000 in capital outlay; $1,805,676 in debt services; and $1,681,849 in other expenditures, according to the budget approved by the Franklin County Board of Education at its September 12 meeting.
One positive note about this year's budget is the reduced number of local teaching units, which are funded entirely by the system with no state or federal assistance. This year's budget has 4.36 local units.
“Ideally, we'd like that to be zero, but that's impossible to do and provide the services we need to for our kids,” Knight said. “We should gain six to seven teacher units next year [based on this year's increased enrollment], so that should more than cover the local units.”
The system has added some positions this year, including a third speech teacher, an additional half-unit gifted teacher and a half-unit cosmetology teacher. Belgreen School earned a full assistant principal, and the board replaced the half-unit home economics instructor with a full unit.
The allotment per teacher for materials and supplies increased this year to $421.51 per unit. Insurance premiums for employees stayed the same at $800/month per employee for full insurance benefits.
Knight stressed the importance of the one-cent sales tax that was approved by Franklin County voters in 2016. That tax generates approximately $2.4 million per year. The Franklin County Commission receives one-fourth of that (approximately $600,000) for road and bridge projects, while the remaining monies are divided between Franklin County Schools and Russellville City Schools based on enrollment.
Franklin County Schools received more than $1,000,000 from the one-cent tax last year.
“That vote comes up again next year, and we really need that money," Knight said. "It generates a million dollars for our school system, and we can't live without it. It's up for renewal in June, with the county commission still receiving twenty-five percent for roads and bridges.”
Franklin County Schools will see an increase of its share of the one-cent tax revenues this year based on its increased enrollment, combined with Russellville's decreased enrollment. Knight said the increase should be around 3.2 percent.
“I can't stress how important those funds are," Knight said. "We try to be good stewards of money, and we're really dependent on that."
Franklin County superintendent of education Greg Hamilton said he was pleased with the budget for the new fiscal year.
“I think it's a good budget, and I'm happy where we are this year compared to last year,” Hamilton said.
